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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2015 Feb 27.
Published in final edited form as: Molecules. 2014 May 15;19(5):6202–6219. doi: 10.3390/molecules19056202

Figure 2.

Figure 2

MC1R signaling cascade in melanocytes. Activated by its agonist alpha-MSH, MC1R promotes cAMP second messenger generation which induces melanocyte differentiation and survival pathways involving PKA, CREB and Mitf. In this way, cAMP induces both melanin production and antioxidants that reduce cellular ROS. cAMP, cyclic adenosine monophosphate. PKA, protein kinase A. pCREB, phosphorylated cAMP response binding element. ROS, reactive oxygen species. MITF, microphthalmia (Mitf) transcription factor.